As a result of a logo contest sponsored by the event planners in 2005, Brad Hollas submitted and was selected as the winner of the contest for the logo you see on our website. As part of the contest criteria, Mr. Hollas had to submit a written explanation of his design.
Dr. David Prior, Brad Hollas, Rachid Baghdad
The design that Brad created includes an 8-point star derivative representing Completeness. The design uses Arabesque patterning to form an Ant (Reference to Qu'ran: Surah 27). A right facing (East toward Mecca from the United States) crescent becomes the ant’s head, holding a 5-pointed star representing the Five Pillars of Islam. The ant’s thorax depicts a dromedary (exhibiting humility as he kneels to be loaded), an animal instrumental in civilization’s birth and with strong Arab-world associations. Beyond the camel, look up to see gold date fronds (Victory) against a blue Arabian sky, or look down to see the blue/gold dome of a Mosque in plan. The ant’s abdomen contains, in the Tuluth style of Arabic calligraphy, the beginning of every Muslim prayer (the Basmalah).
Brad Hollas is a 1998 graduate of Texas A&M University. He has a strong interest in the people and cultures of other places. He has lived, worked, visited, or backpacked in nineteen different countries, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Hollas is fluent in German and spent over a year studying in Germany. After graduation, he worked for a subsidiary of the engineering firm, Carter & Burgess as a facility planner. Upon returning to A&M to pursue a Master of Architecture degree, TAMU’s Geographic Information System department offered him a graduate assistantship, which has since turned into a full-time position. He currently works for Texas A&M's Facilities Coordination department as a Project Coordinator. He enjoys construction projects, geocaching, and cycling.
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